Physical properties of Fe doped Mn3O4 thin films synthesized by SILAR method and their antibacterial performance against E. coli

Nanocrystalline Fe doped Mn3O4 thin films were deposited by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method onto glass substrates. The X-ray diffraction study revealed that Fe doped Mn3O4 films are nanocrystalline in nature. The morphological investigations were carried out by using field emission scanning electron and atomic force microscopy studies. The optical absorption measurements showed that Mn3O4 films exhibit direct band gap energy of the order of 2.78 eV and it increased to 2.89 eV as the percentage of Fe doping in it increases from 0 to 8 wt.%. The room temperature electrical resistivity of Mn3O4 increases from 1.84 × 103 to 2.64 × 104 Ω cm as Fe doping increases from 0 to 8 wt.%. The SILAR grown Mn3O4 showed antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli bacteria which improved remarkably with doping.